Expansive drilling-bit.



Patented. 161119.19111.

Fig j' W. L. YOUNG..

ExPANslvE DRILLING BIT.

In denier Wulf@ L. Yb un@ APPLICATION FILED APR.9. 19H.

WALTER L. YOUNG, 0F HARPER, CALIFORNIA.

EXPANSIVE DRILLINGr-BIT.

Application filed April 9, 1917.

T 0 all 'wlw/m, t may concern.'

Be it known that l, lVALrnn L. YOUNG, a citizen of the United `States,residing at Harper, in the county of @range and State of California,have invented a new and useful lxpansive Drilling-Bit, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a drilling bit adapted for drilling a hole ofgreater diameter than the well casing through which the drilling bitsare lowered into the hole, and is an improvement of a certain bit setforth in application Serial No. 2756, led J une 16,

1915; patented Dec. 1916, No. 1207119.

in object of the invention is to produce a slsperior practical tool ofthis character to serve as a. combined under-reamer and drilling bit.

As in my patented application the tool comprises a non-resil' shifter inthe form of a wedge lying within the body of the tool during themovement through the casing, said shifter being forced upwardly aslantto project beyond the outer periphery of the body after said tool haspassed below the casing, to thus crowd the cutting edge beyond theproduced circular plane of the casing.

Ai particular object of the linvention is to provide means, incombination with a noniesilient shifter, to adjustably support theshifter in operative position and thereby regulate the size of the wellhole to be bored, said means being automatically operated to release theshifter and allow it to be retracted into the bore of the tool as saidtool is drawn up into the casing upon wit idrawal from the well.

Another object is to provide positive means to move the shifter intooperative extended position after the tool has passed below the casing.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a fragment-al elevation partly in section on line m1, Figs.Q', 4t and 8, illustrating a drilling bit embodying this invention andin position below the casing at the bottom of a hole with the shifterwedge latched in shifting position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevation of the tool from the right of Fig. 1with parts in a corresponding position.

Fig. 3 is an elevation illustrating the tool as it is being withdrawnfrom Vthe hole. lt'zlolid lines show parts in position with theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

seran no. 160,860.

shifter wedge just released and dot and dash lines indicate the fullyretracted position.

Fig. 4f is a cross section of the tool looking up from line x4., Figs.1, 2 and 3 with the shifter wedge in extended position.

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the tool looking up from line 005-008,Figs. 1, 2 and, with the shifter wedge in retracted position.`

Fig. 6 is a. top view ofthe shifter wedge detached.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the shifter wedge detached.

Fig. 8 is a plan section on line t5-m8, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, looking down1Fig. 9 is a view showing two of the variable length operating legs thatserve as positive means to move the shifter wedge into operativeposition.

The tool body 1 may-be of any preferred style having at its lower end asuitable cutting edge 2 and at its upper end the usual neck 3 andcoupling pin 4 for connection to the auger stem 5. A longitudinallyslanting chamber 6 is formed in the body `l intermediate the cuttingedge 2 and neck 3, said chamber opening out upon the periphery of thebody upon the side opposite the cutting edge 2 and serving to slidablymount a shifter wedge member 7 which is guided aslant relative to theaxis of the tool by suitu able guiding means as the aslant slide face8.l

Said open chamber 6 is bounded by the slanting slide wall or tace 8 andside walls 9, which latter walls are upwardly tapering, due to theoblique arrangement of the slide :face 8, and terminate at the top inshoulders 10 that serve as an upper stop for the shifter wedge. In eachof the side walls is provided a groove or recess 11, said recesses beingarranged adjacent to and parallel with the slide-face 8, and formingways in which tongues 12 of the shifter wedge seat to retain said wedgein position in the chamber. The shifter wedge is thus slidably mountedin the chamber, projecting beyond the outer periphery of the body 1 whenpositioned at the top of said chamber and lying entirely within theoutside traces of the body when positioned at the bottom of saidchamber.

The shifter wedge when in extended position at the top of the chamber isadapted to contact with the wall of the well-hole for the purpose ofholding the tool away from said wall at that side thereof andsubstantially in central alinement with the hole-v,v thus to maintaintheopposite cutting edget outside l ofthe produced plane'of the shoe ofthe casing and inoperative positionjduringre- 'ciprocation of tlietool.'V vTo afford the requisite l .portion 13 having sideanges ltthatserve v to form an extensional outer face a which is .upwardly taperingI 'elativer to 'the retaining tongues 12, so that when the wedgeis in'position iii the chamberV with the *tonguesv in Y Y vregister with thegrooves 11 the face a will lie parallel with the axis of the tool. 'iSaid outer facee'is of lateral. convexY conformation, the curvature of`which substantially Ycorresponds to the wall of the well which thistool is adapted to drilh brought within the outside traces of the body 1ywhen the wedge is positioned atrthe i bottom of the chamber, V,thevlongitudinal Y peripheral edges of theV side walls 9 are cuty away toform` inclined .faces `15, that eX- tend'aslant'in the same direction asthe face 8jfrom the bottom toward the top of the chamberv 6, the depthof said cut-away poritions aty the botto-m corresponding tothe Y Y l`thickness'of the flanges 14. 'j

vThe shifter wedge serves as means to operate against '.the wall lof thehole and force the toolbody laterally to Vhold thel cutting edge 2 inposition to drill a hole of larger diameter justably 'supported inextended position at vthe Ytop of the chamber inorder that the distancewhich the shifter projects beyond the. periphery of the body may bevaried,

thus to regulate thev lateral throw of the cutting edge 2 andconsequently theV size of the hole being drilled by the tool. n Y

'lothis end the` wedge is" made selfclutfchingthroughout a determinedpart of Yits movement in the top of the chamber, so

that asI said wedge ymoves upward7 it cannot be moved vback untilreleased. r This self'clutcliing feature alsoserves to atl'ord a lstepby. step movement for the shifter wedge in case itvisdesiredto move thesame into `commission at-thetop of the chamber` -bydirect encounteringwithl the plastic material at thefbottom of tlie'holeformed of i theloosenedborings and water-(notshownl as thel iirst few strokes of the-tool occur upon the beginning of the drilling` oper-v ation.l Saidself-clutching means iin the instance shown comprises'an axiallyposition'ed'latch-barfl pivotally mounted at 17 in the Vchamber Gnearthe bottom thereof,

with which latch bar'the wedge isadapted t0 engage at various positionsalong the slantingslide face The back' "of the .wedge opposite the er,-Y'

bearing surfacek Yfor contact with the wall of the well-holef 'saidshifter'wedge is provided with a` slioe- .v In order that thesideiflanges 14 and eX-f' Y tensional facegarofthe shoe l'may beY thanAthe well YcasingY .V-threugh which theftool is lowered and vit isdesirable that-said shifter l wedge*V be adtensional vshoe face apresents teeth 18 of 'a Y toothed face that lies intermediate side,`slide faces or runners 19,'sa1d toothed face slide faces 19 of thewedge. lntherpresent extending Vsub stantially Yparallel with theYV ,Y

constructionV the shifter we'dgeeis provided Y' Ywith amid-longitudinal'gap( 20 opening bef Y tween' the slide faces 19,Y inwhich gap isv mounted a hardened steel "block 21 which carries the teeth18, said block being secured in place by pins 22. f f

i The latch bar is provided along its outer edgethroughout a definitepart of the upperv Y kportion. thereof with teetli'23 that are invalinement with the teeth`18rof the shifter` position within the chamberV6. 'lntheslidev Y wall 8 ofthe chamber is' formed amideV longitudinalgroove v241V which is positioned i opposite the gap 20 of the shifterwedge when said wedgeis in'po'sition inthe chamber. \This groove servesto housev the latch bar 16 VLand extends upwardlyV aslant from V acompression spring'26 that is interposed between the upper end of thelatch bari and a retaining plug 27 that forms the black of 'against theteeth of theshifter wedge by x a chamber 28 forrthe spring, the'arrangei ment of the teeth 18 and23 being such that Y teeth of thelatch bar whenmoved in an upwarddirection but ischecked frornmovbarteeth are Vmoved out of a-linernentwithV Ythe teeth 18.

ythe shifter wedge is free to lslide by thev lt is desirable thatautomatic means-Kben provided'to release the shifter 'wedge` and allowit to be retracted within the tool body vupon withdrawalfi'om the wellYand for'tliis iio purposethe upper end Yof said .latch bar is providedwith an outwardly Abowed portionVV Y or finger-291that islpositionedwithin. the

upper portion of the groove`21L when ,thel

latch bar is retractedV with the wedge at the bottom of the chamber (seedot-and-dash position, Fig. l) Vbut which eXtends'beyond the peripheryof the'bodyrand intofthe produced plane of the casing whenthe bar is inposition with its teeth23 in.' engagement-v with the teeth 18 vwhenthe/wedgelis at' the top of the chamber. Y Y

As the tool is raised vinto the casingitheV bowed'finger 29'Contactswith: the bottoni ofV the well casing b to depress the latch bar'in .i Yi opposition to the spring l26 and releaseithe shifter wedgewliereuponsaid wedge'drops inwardly of the tooltovthe Vbottor'nrof rthe so wedgewhen said latch bar is mounted inVVV Y Y ing in adownward'directionnntil the latch chamber, in which position it bearsagainst the latch bar and holds the saine, together with the finger 29,in fully retracted position in the groove 2li. With the wedge and fingerin this fully retracted position and entirely within the body of thetool, said tool may pass freely up through the casing b.

A lug 30 at the top of the body l and upon the opposite side thereoffrom the chamber 6 is provided to hold the tool over in position so thatthe linger 29 will project suiiiciently into the path of the casing Z)to afford requisite releasing movementas the tool ascends intor thecasing upon withdrawal from the well. The'top slanting face 31 will rideover the end of the casing in case the lug strikes said end upon passinginto the casing.

When the tool is lowered into the well the shifter wedge will bepositioned at the bottoni the oh amber and lying entirely within thebody l, as shown in the dot-a-nd-dash position of Figs. 1 and 3, inwhich position the shifter wedge is out of commission in its retractedposition so that the cutting edge 2 may lie within the circular plane ofthe casing as-the tool passes down through said casing.

A special feature of this invention is the provision of positive meansto force the shifter wedge into operative position at the top of thebody after the tool has thus been lowered into operating position belowthe casing o and for this purpose a depending operating leg 32 issuitably attached to the wedge as by pivot 22, and extends down throughthe lower axial bore 33 that establishes communication from the chamber6 through the tool body to the bottom thereof. Said leg 32 is adapted tocontact with the bottom of the well hole just ahead of the tool body andholds the wedge stationary, thus allowing relative movement between saidwedge and tool body as the body continues its descent to the bottom ofthe well hole. l/Vhen the body reaches the bottom the wedge will belatched by teeth 18 and 23, in the upper position to which it has beenmoved by the operating leg 32, in which position the convex shoe face awill bear against the wall of the hole to force the tool body laterallyand maintain the cutting edge 2 in operative position to drill.

ln the present instance the adjustable operating position in which theshifter wedge .is supported to thus determine the size of hole to bebored is dependent upon the length of the operating leg 32 and inaccordance therewith of various lengths may be provided t see Fig. 9) tobe readily attached as suits the operating conditions. F or this purposeandA also for purposes of ready assembling. the wedge isrconstructed oftwo` complementary piecesbet-ween which is positic-ned the toothed blocl2l. Said wedge pieces fit together with he inner longitudinal shoe facesC abutting one another and the bloot and pieces are held in place by tiepins 22, 22. The block 2l. terminates sufliciently above the bottom ofthe wedge to afford space in which to mount the eye` of one of theoperating legs, the lowerniost pin Q2 serving to pivot said eye as wellas position the pieces together.

From. the foregoing itis thus seen that l have produced a simple andeii'ective drilling bit of this character which is positively throwninto commission below the well casing to drill a hole of larger diameterthan said casing, and is automatically thrown out of commission uponascent into the casing as the bit is withdrawn from the well, as well asbeing self-adjusting to drill well holes of various diameters.

l claim:

l. A drilling bit comprising abody having a longitudinally slantingchamber opening out upon the periphery thereof, a cutting edge upon saidbody at the lower end thereof, a non-resilient shifter wedge mounted insaid chamber and arranged to move in an aslant direction relative to theaxis of said body so that said shifter wedge projects beyond the outerperiphery of the body when positioned at the top of said chamber andlies within said body when positioned at the bottom of said chamber, andmeans to adjustably support said shifter wedge at various heightsrelative to the cutting edge of` the tool to maintain said cutting edgein operative position.

2. ln a well casing, a vertically rotating tool body having alongitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof,a cutting edge upon said body at the lower end thereof, a non-resilientshifter wedge mounted in said chamberl and arranged to move in an aslantdirection. relative to the axis of said body so that said shifter wedgeprojects beyond the outer periphery of the body when positioned at thetop of said chamber and lies within said body when positioned at thebottoni of said chainber, and retractable means to support said shifterwedge at the top of aid chamber to maintain said cutting edge inoperatire position, said means being provided with au outwardhT bowedportion. to contact with the casing to thereby be automaticallyretracted to release the shifter wedge and allow the saine to movewithin the tool body as said body is drawn into the casing,

ln a. well casing, a vertically rotating tool body having alongitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the periphery thereof,a cutting edge upon said body at the lower end thereof and opposite saidchamber` a non-resilient shifter wedge mounted in said chamber andarranged to inove in an chamber, an axially positioned latch barpivaslant direction relative to the axis of said body vso that saidshifter wedgeY projectsl beyond the outer periphery of the body whenpositioned at the top of said chamber and lies within said body whenVpositioned at the rbottom of said chamber, alatch to support saidshifter wedge in operative position at v the top of said chamber, saidlatch being actuated by contact with the casing to re-Y lease theshifter wedge and allow the same r to move within the tool body as saidbody Y is withdrawn from the well.

, that said shifter wedge projects beyond the outer periphery ofthebo'dy when positioned 4f. Ina well casing, a vertically rotating toolbody havingia longitudinally slant-ing chamber opening out upon theperiphery thereof, a cutting edge upon said body at the lower endthereof and opposite said chamber, a shifter .wedge-mounted in saidchamber and arranged to move in an aslant direction relativeto the axisof said body so at the top'of said chamber and lies within said bodywhen positionedat the bottom of said chamber, an axially positionedlatch bar pivotally mounted in the chamber at the bottom thereof, springmeans to normally holdV the latch bar in engagement with the shifter iwedge andthus support said wedge in oper- V30 ative position 'at the topof said chamber, va bowed finger formed at the upper end of the latchbar and extending into the pro- Y duced plane of the casing lwhen saidlatch bar is in engagement with the shifter wedge, the latch bar beingadapted to release the shifter wedge upon contact of said vfinger withthe lower edge of the casing, when the tool body is withdrawn throughsaid casing.

5. In awell casing, a vertically rotating tool body havingalongitudinally slanting chamber lo enin'V out u aon the eri herthereof, a cutting edge upon said bodyat the Ylower end thereof andopposite said chamber,

a shifter wedge mounted fin said chamber an darranged to move in anaslant direction relative .toV the aXis of said body so that saidshifter wedgevprojects beyond the outer` periphery of the body Vwhenpositioned at the top of said chamber and lios within said body. whenpositioned at the bottom of said otally mounted in the chamber at theYbottom thereof, spring means to normally hold the latch bar inengagement with the shifter .wedge and thus support said wedge in oper'-ative position at the top of said chamber, the vupper portion of saidlatch bar extending Vinto thel produced'plane of the casing whenysaid'latch bar is in engagement with the shifter wedge, al lug at thetop of said vbody f and upon the same side as said Vcutting edge,

said lug being effectiveto hold the body over in Vposition so that saidupper latch bar portion will Contact with the lower end of the`casingasthe body ascends into said' casing to thereby move the latch torelease the i shifter wedge and allow theY same to drop within the body.Y -Y f Y 6. In a casing,a` vertically rotating tool Vbody'. having acutting edge for drilling a hole,- av non-resilient shifter wedgeadapted to operate against tbe wall of the hole to Yforce the tool bodylaterally to Vdrill a h ole of larger diameter than said casing, andposi- Y tive means to move the shifter'wedge into against the bottom ofthe hole.

8. In a casing, a vertically' rotating tooll body having a cutting edgelfor vdrilling a i hole, a non-'resilient shifter wedge adapted ytooperate against the wall fof the hole to force theV tool body laterallyto drill a hole of larger diameter than said casing, and an operatingleg adapted to contact with the bottom of the hole to hold the wedgestation-V ary as the bodyis lowered, Ythus to cause relative movementbetween said wedge and body and force the wedge into operative po- YsitiOn.

- 9. In a wellcasing, a vertically rotatingY i tool body havingarlongitudinally slanting chamber opening out upon the peripherythereof, a cutting edge uponsaidV body at the lower endA thereof andVopposite' saidV `chamber, a'shifter wedge mounted in said chamber andarranged to move inan aslant direction'relativeto the axis'of said bodyso that said shifter wedge 'projectsfbeyo'nd theY Y periphery of thebody when positionedat the top of said chamber and lies within said bodywhen'positioned at the bottom 'of'Y said Y Y chamber, an axiallypositioned latch barpivotally mounted in the'chambei" atthe bottomthereof and provided with teeth alongits i.

upper portion, spring meansV to normally' hold the latch bar pressedagainst the shifter wedge, and a toothedface on said wedge adapted toengage with said Ylatch bar teeth Y to 'adjustably positionfthe wedgeand maintain said cutting edge in operative position. l0. In a wellcasing,` a vertically rotating Y tool body -liaviiig a cutting edge fordrillingY Va hole beneath said casing of larger diameter than said body,a 'chamber inV said` body having a longitudinalY slide-face extending'aslant outward and upward to the axis of said body, a shifter `Wedge yinsaid chamber andhaving a yslide-face adaptedto slide along saidlongitudinal.slide-face to project 'V said wedge beyond the periphery ofthebodyY *at thetop vof the chamber and -to withdraw said wedge withinthe body at the bottom of the chamber, said shifter wedge being providedwith a mid-longitudinal gap opening out upon its slide-face, anaxially-positioned latch bar pivoted in thc chamber at the bottomthereof and extending up through said gap, said latch bar being adaptedte engage with the wedge to support the same in operative position atthe top of the chamber.

11. A drilling tool adapted to be operated through a casing to drill ahole of larger diameter thanl the casing, comprising a body having achamber opening at one side of the body, a runner in the chamber, aguide-way extending aslant upward and outward in the chamber to shiftthe runner outward when the ruimer is moved upward in the chamber, saidrunner being adapted to extend beyond the surface of the body when atthe upper end of the chamber and to be retracted by the guide-waywhenthe runner is moved down in the chamber; a latch adapted to latchthe runner in its extended position, and means adapted to inipinge uponthe casing to retract the latch when the tool is withdrawn through thecasing.

12. A drilling tool adapted to be operated through a casing to drill ahole of larger diameter than the casing, comprising a body having achamber opening at one side of the body, a runner in the chamber, aguide-way extending aslant upward and outward in the chamber, saidrunner being adapted to extend beyond the surface of the body when atthe upper end of the chamber and to be retracted by the guide-way as itdescendsl into the chamber; a latch adapted to latch the runner in itsextended position, said latch pivoted to the body at the lower end ofthe guideway and having smooth faces at its lower portion along whichthe runner may slide to hold the latch retracted when the runner isdown; and means adapted to impinge upon the easing to retract the latchwhen the tool is withdrawn through the casing.

13. A drilling tool adapted to be operated through a casing to drill ahole of larger diameter than the casing, comprising a body having achamber opening at one side of the body, a runner in the chamber, aguide-way extending aslant upward and outward in the chamber to shiftthe runner outward as it moves upward in the chamber, said runner beingadapted to extend beyond the surface of the body when at the upper endof the chamber and to be retracted by the guideway it descends into 'hechamber, a latch adapted to latch the runner in its extended position,and means adapted to impinge upon the casing te retract the latch whenthe tool is withdrawn through the ca sing, and a leg piifoted to therunner and adapted to Vimpinge upon Athe bottom of the hole to hold therunner stationary at the latter descent of the tool in order to impingeupon the wall of the-hole and to act upon the slideway to shift thebottom of the tool laterally.

1A. rlhe combination with a drilling tool body and a wedge member havinga serrated face and adapted to cooperate therewith, of a latch piyetedin the tool body, and having a serrated face adapted to engage theserrated face of the wedge member and havn ing a portion projecting fromthe tool body above the wedge member for retracting the serrated face efthe latch from the wedge member to release the same, and means pivotedto the wedge member and adapted to contact with the bottom of the holebeing' drilled, to adjust the wedge member.

15. The combination with a drilling tool body and a wedge member havinga serrated face and adapted to cooperate therewith, of a latch pivotedin the tool body and having a serrated face adapted to engage theserrated fac-e of the wedge member and having a portion projecting fromthe tool body above the wedge member for retracting the serrated face ofthe latch from the wedge member to release the same.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 2d day of April, 1917.

WALTER L. YOUNG.

Witness:

Jarras R. TowNsnND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

